1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a fluorescent light assembly and more particularly to a connector assembly for use in a fluorescent light assembly in which the connector subassembly can be mounted as part of the fixture before wires are interconnected between the connector subassembly and other subassemblies in the light fixture.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Fluorescent lamp fixtures having a plurality of fluorescent tubes mounted in the same assembly are now fabricated by the assembly of a number of discrete components. One analysis of the manufacturing process currently employed in the construction of a four bulb fluorescent light fixture has established that assembly of one fixture requires forty-seven different operations. Among the individual components which must be assembled in a conventional fluorescent light assembly are individual fluorescent socket members, each of which have five parts; metal end caps to which the socket members must be attached; socket lead wires which must be attached to individual terminals in the socket; fluorescent ballasts which include a plurality of components mounted on a printed wiring board and have discrete wires extending from the encapsulated ballast. In a conventional assembly operation, lead wires are inserted into poke in terminals in the socket members.
For conventional fluorescent socket members, the poke in terminals are inserted into the rear of an insulative housing with spring members protruding into the socket interface section. The poke in terminals, have spring fingers located at the opposite end. Two terminals are loaded in each housing from the rear and a cardboard cover plate is then secured to the rear. Wires are inserted into engagement with the poke in terminals through openings in the insulative housing of the socket member below the socket interface. These wires are perpendicular to the face containing the socket interface to which the fluorescent tube is inserted.
Individual socket members can then be attached to the metal end frame with the wires leading to the individual socket members laced along the rear face of the metal plate. As shown in FIG. 20 which depicts the prior art configuration, these individual wires attached to the socket members can be laced through an opening in the middle of the metal cap. Alternatively, wires can be attached to separate pin and socket electrical connectors which are secured within openings on the metal end frame.
The metal end frame containing a plurality of sockets is then mounted to the fluorescent light fixture housing. Fluorescent ballasts, each comprising a plurality of components mounted on a printed circuit wire board encapsulated within a metal can, are separately mounted on the lighting fixture frame. In one prior art configuration the plurality of fluorescent ballasts are attached to a metal hood between end cap subassemblies which are attached adjacent the ends of the fluorescent lamp hood. At this point discrete wires attached to the ballast must then be attached to wires leading from the socket member located on the end of the fluorescent light assembly. A conventional means of forming this attachment is the use of standard wire nuts to interconnect the two sets of wires. Connectors can also be secured to the ends of the wires leading from the ballast so that the ballast connector can be attached to the mating connector mounted on the end cap frame. In any event, these assembly methods require a number of steps in which loose wires extending from the components, such as the ballast or the end cap frames, must be handled. Damage to the components, wiring errors and other assembly problems can have a serious effect on the quality and efficiency of the assembly operation.
One technique for simplifying the assembly of a fluorescent light fixtures is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,729,740. This patent shows a fluorescent ballast which is assembled with ballast end caps which include a connector having poke in terminals. This permits the ballast to be handled and installed prior to the attachment of discrete wires to the ballast. Poke in terminals are provided which allow stripped ends of discrete wires to be inserted into the ballast after it is attached to the fluorescent light fixture U.S. Pat. No. 3,135,822 discloses another such component. These interconnectable ballasts, however, solve only a part of the problems inherent in the assembly of a fluorescent light fixture. The instant invention, however, employs a modular end cap subassembly in conjunction with a ballast having poke in terminals, or alternatively insulation displacement terminals, to permit the assembly of the various subcomponents of a fluorescent light fixture prior to their interconnection by discrete wires. One advantage of this approach is that the discrete wires, used to connect individual subcomponents, do not need to employ electrical terminals. These wires can either be stripped adjacent there ends for poke in insertion into connectors located on the various subcomponents, or they can remain fully insulated and be attached to insulation displacement contacts contained within the subcomponent. Combinations of insulation displacement interconnections and poke in interconnections can also be employed. By making all wire interconnections after the mounting of components, wiring errors can be reduced, and damage to the components resulting from the presence of dangling lead wires can be avoided. Elimination of these dangling lead wires also results in simpler component handling and simpler assembly steps.
This invention also employs a simplified modular endcap assembly which eliminates the assembly of individual subcomponents to the endcap assembly with the exception of the insertion of preterminated jumper assemblies comprising discrete wires extending between fluorescent lamp sockets and a central junction block formed as part of the endcap subassembly. This invention also allows the endcap to be molded as a single insulative body containing both fluorescent lamp socket supports and a junction block. Assembly of all components to this one piece insulative body can be made from one side of the insulative body.